Jackson County Health Department Weekly Report for July 2, 2021

(July 2, 2021 3:38 PM)  The Jackson County Health Department has released its weekly report:

On Thursday, July 1st, 2021, Governor Gov. Whitmer, along with partners Meijer and Michigan Association of United Ways Announced the  ‘MI Shot To Win Sweepstakes’ in an effort to boost COVID-19 Vaccination rates in Michigan residents.  The lottery which is offering drawings for 1 ($1million), 1 ($2 million) and 30 ($50,000 daily drawings) as well as 9 four-year Scholarship drawings (Michigan Education Trust (MET) Charitable Tuition Program contract valued at $55,000)  for those aged 12 -17 runs from July 1 – August 3, 2021.  Eligibility criteria for each of the drawings is available at: www.MIShotToWin.com. Parents must enter their children aged 12 -17 for one of the nine Scholarships which will be given away. The purpose of this lottery is to encourage all age groups to get their vaccinations from 12 years up in order to reach the 70% goal for 1^st dose COVID Vaccination rate.

Michigan citizens are encouraged to use safe precautions during their July 4^th celebrations.  COVID infections are still occurring so everyone is encouraged to adhere to guidelines as issued by the CDC for crowds.  It is important to choose safe activities and have fun.

The Michigan Covid Tracker is monitoring progress toward the state goal of 70% on 1st dose COVID-19 vaccinations (1 shot) provided to the 16+ age group in the State of Michigan.  In Michigan, we are currently at 61.8% as of 6/30/2021 for ages 16 and up. At the National level, we are at 66.5% with at least one shot for all adults aged 18 and over. The National Tracker  is the monitoring system for the CDC.  The CDC monitors COVID vaccines down to the age of 12, and when added into the overall number, the vaccine rate drops down to 63.6% with one shot.  Nationally, 78% of the population ≥ 65 Years of Age are fully vaccinated and have reached the national goal of 70%.

Vaccine Opportunities

Vaccine opportunities in the Jackson County area and location information can be found on the VaccineFinder webpage. Minors aged 12–17 are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine with parent permission. 

Homebound individuals who are interested in a COVID-19 vaccine, please contact Disability Connections at (517) 998-3084, Region 2 Area on Aging at (517) 592-1976 or the Jackson County Department on Aging at (517) 788-4364. 

 

Jackson County Health Department Updates

If you are planning to come to the health department for any clinic related service with a nurse or technician, please remember to bring your mask.  The policy of the health department is for all employees and individuals seeking service to wear masks when in close settings such as a small office or exam room, in order to reduce any potential spread of infection regardless of vaccination status.  You will be offered a mask if you don’t have your own.  This is done in order to protect our immunocompromised clients such as children or other vulnerable populations who may be at high risk of infection.  If you still need your COVID-19 vaccine, you can come to the immunization clinic and get your vaccine of choice! 

If you are EXPERIENCING ANY UPPER RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS (COUGH, DIFFICULTY BREATHING, ETC) OR FEVER, WE ASK THAT YOU RESCHEDULE ANY APPOINTMENT YOU HAVE scheduled.  If necessary, you may want to schedule an appointment with your physician or call 911, if it becomes life threatening.

Patient Education Genius

The Jackson County Health Department will begin using a new program, called Patient Education Genius, to reach out to residents who test positive on a COVID-19 test. The message will come by text or email as a follow-up to your positive COVID-19 test, and it will include a link to a survey; the survey will help us to understand where you may have gotten COVID-19 and help us prevent additional infections. If you complete the survey, this may eliminate the need for our nurses to call you for information, or will shorten the amount of time it takes to collect information over the phone. Education on how to safely isolate from others and a link to the State of Michigan coronavirus website is also sent after the survey is completed. This new process starts on July 6th for residents of Jackson County.

Hearing and Vision Clinic Update

Michigan law requires a child to have a hearing and vision screening before they enter kindergarten.

The Jackson County Health Department provides FREE screenings that fulfill the requirement for school entry. Hearing and Vision Screening Clinics are available to all residents of any age. If a client does not pass the screening, a referral will be provided to a physician for follow-up.

Clinic appointments are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm through the end of August. To make an appointment please call or text 517-867-0077 or call 517-788-4395.The clinics are held at the Jackson County Health Department at 1715 Lansing Ave, Jackson, MI 49202, Second Floor, Room 246.

Data 

Jackson County Health Department reports the following data as of July 1, 2021. This information is also available on the Michigan Vaccine Dashboard which is updated daily (M-F) by 3:00 p.m. Data now reflects the addition of the 12-15 year olds.

The COVID-19 variants continue to circulate in our community. There is evidence that the B.1.1.7 is still the most prevalent COVID-19 strain spreading in Michigan.

Additional Resources

Jackson County Health Department Webpage

State of Michigan Vaccination and Prioritization Strategy https://www.mistartmap.info/about

Centers for Disease Control Vaccine Information Page

JCHD COVID Information phone line – (517) 817-4469